Electric-railway trolley.



m w 2 .L c 0 d e n e a P N 0 0 C R .L 5 7 5 8 6 0 N ELECTRIC RAILWAYTROLLEY.

(Application filed May 25, 1901,)

(N0 M odel.)

PETERS co. PNOTO LIT UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD R. OOON, OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT.

ELECTRlC-RAI LWAY TRO LLEY.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 685,575, dated October29, 1901.

Application filed May 25, 1901. Serial No- 61.86(). (No model.)

ful Improvements in Electric-Railway Tr0lleys; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the l v and hereindescribe myconstruction of trolley in connectionwith an overhead Wire,'it

art to which it appertains to-make and use the same, reference being hadto the aecom pan ying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which forrn a part of this specification. p

This invention relatesto electric-railway trolleys.

The object of the invention is to provide a trolley of such constructionas to furnish a perfect contact between a trolley and a trolley-wire andat the same time to avoid friction between the two,'which usuallyresults in wear on the trolleywire and the separation of the trolley andwire, resulting in breaking the current and causing sparking andinterruption to the power of the motor to which the current is conveyedthrough the trolley.

With this object in view the invention consists of a trolley comprisinga sphere of conducting material mounted in a holder or frame capable ofrotating freely in all directions and adapted to be retained in contactwitl a trolley-wire.

Further, the invention consists of a trolley comprising a sphere ofconducting material mounted in sockets in a holder or frame, the

sockets being provided with antifriction-bear ings and the sphere beingadapted to be re tained in contact with a trolley-wire.

Further, the invention consists of a trolley comprising a sphere mountedin a holder or frame and capable of rotating in all directions androtating guides arranged above the sphere and adapted to keep atrolley-wire in contact with the sphere.

Further, the invention consists of various novel details of constructionwherebythe object of the invention is attained and the effectiveness ofthe device insured.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which aform adapted for use in connection with an overhead wire is shown.

ing my improved head attached thereto. Fig. 2 isa side view of thetrolley-head. Fig. 3 is a view showing the inner face of one of thesides ofthe trolley-head, and Fig. 4 is a ver- %tical transversesectional view of the trolleyhead. i I 7 1 .While I have illustrated inthe drawings will easily be seen from an understanding of the inventionthat the same may with slight modification be adapted to an undergroundelectric-railway system.

In the drawings, A represents a trolley-pole, which may be of anydesired construction and provided with the usual adjuncts, adapting itto serve as part of the means for conducting a current of electricityfrom a wire to a motor on the car'to which the pole is attached.Attached to the pole, preferably in a manner to allow a limited movementtoward or away from each other, are the two plates B B, each having onits inner face the sockets or hear ings, (designated, respectively, bythe letters 0 and d.) The plates thus formed constitute the frame of thetrolley-head.

Mounted between the plates B B, in a position to have its upper surfacea short distance below the upper ends of the plates B B, is

a sphere C, of conducting substance or material, the sphere beingcapable of rotating in any direction. The sphere enters and is retainedin place by the sockets, andin order that it may move freely in alldirections with out friction thesockets have a short distance withintheir inner edges a groove 0, in which are arranged a series ofballs 0thus providing a ball-bearing on each side of the sphere.

In the use of the trolley the sphere is held in contact withaconductor-wire and passes along the undersurface of the latter.' Inorder that no impediment to the freepassage of the trolley along thewire may be offered by the contacting of the wire with the inner facesof the plates B B, rising above the sphere O, I provide each plate abovethe sphere with aball D, mounted in sockets d,-which con-' are connectedon each side by braces B, in each of which is a turnbuckle b. By thismeans the plates may be drawn toward each other or moved apart and heldin any desired position in relation to each other in order to allow theproper adjustment for the retention of the sphere and to allow fordrawing the plates together to compensate for wearin the hearings inwhich the sphere rotates in use.

The construction herein described obviates the difficulties incidenttothe use of a trolley of the usual construction, wherein a grooved wheelmounted upon an axle rigidly attached to a trolley-pole is employed. Inthe latter form the expensive trolley-wire is constantly subjected tomore or less friction and consequent wear and the wheel by reason of thecomparatively narrow groove in it receiving the wire is easily displacedin passing around curves or under a sagging wire capable of anyconsiderable lateral movement.

By my device the trolley-wire is allowed considerable side movement inthe trolleyhead, and in all positions it may assume as the trolley-headpasses perfect contact and freedom from friction are assured.

Having, thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A trolley comprising a sphere of conducting material suitably mountedand capable of rotating in all directions, substantially as described.

2. Atrolleycomprisingtwo plates each having a socket in its inner faceand a sphere entering and retained by the sockets, the sphere beingcapableof rotating in all directions, substantially as described.

A trolley comprising two plates having sockets provided withantifriction bearingsurfaces, and a sphere entering and retained inplace by the sockets, substantially as described. a

4. Atrolley comprisingasphere of conducting material suitably mountedand capable of rotatingin all directions, and two spheres also capableof rotating in all directions and arranged above and on each side of thefirst, substantially as described.

5. A trolley comprising two plates having sockets on their inner faces,a sphere mounted in the sockets, and means for adjusting the platestoward or away from each other, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDXVARD R. COON.

Witnesses:

LEWIs M. BARRoWs, IIoRA'rIo N. CooN.

